Describe World War I and its aftermath in the Middle East

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

ANSWER:
During the Great War (World War I), the Ottoman Empire controlled most of the Middle East. The Ottoman desire to use World War I as a means to gain Russian territory led to the Ottomans signing an alliance with Germany. After a disastrous defeat at Gallipoli, Britain allied itself with Arab leaders in an attempt to defeat the Ottomans. Britain offered Prince Hussein ibn Ali his own kingdom in exchange for Arab assistance. A revolt led by Hussein's son Faisal weakened the Ottoman Empire but did not affect the war in Europe. While that intrigue was being carried out, the Zionist movement was seeking a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Zionists received widespread sympathy and the support of the British government in the Balfour Declaration. Turkey, led by Mustapha Kemal, established itself from the remains of the dismantled Ottoman Empire and instituted many progressive reforms, turning into a secular republic. The Arab-speaking areas of the former Ottoman Empire were reorganized under the mandate system, as were Palestine, Transjordan, and Iraq. British dominance over Egypt continued, in spite of a declaration of Egyptian independence in 1922. Encouraged by the Balfour Declaration, Jews moved in large numbers to Palestine, creating the root of a long-standing Middle Eastern dispute.